Elderly couple sentenced for drug trafficking

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An 81-year-old World War II veteran and his wife of 58 years were today each handed a 16-month suspended jail sentence after being convicted of drug offences.

Perth pensioner David William Sidney Davies and his wife, Florence Gladys Davies, 77, were on Friday found guilty by a Perth District Court jury of two counts of possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

The charges stem from a raid on their home in the southern Perth suburb of Carlisle in 2002 during which authorities found almost 19kg of cannabis hidden in a false ceiling.

A further 300g of the drug was found in an ice-cream container under the couple's bed, while $7000 cash was found in the front seat of their car.

The court was told the cannabis, which was commercially packaged in sealed bags, had a street value of up to $260,000.

In sentencing the elderly pair, Judge Peter Williams said they had been convicted of a very serious offence but had "led an otherwise blameless life".

He sentenced them to 16 months on one charge and two months on the other, but said the sentences would be served concurrently and suspended for two years.

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The maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment or a fine of $100,000.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has six months to decide whether to have the pair deemed drug traffickers, which would result in them losing assets such as their home.

Prosecutor Paul Dixon today indicated a further application would be made to confiscate the $7000 as proceeds of crime.